officials are saying the negotiations are now in the had hands of two men, president obama and house speaker eer jo boehner. bill plante is at the white house. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. and good morning in the west. the president has stepped up his rhetoric, warning failure to fix the fiscal crisis could sour the christmas season. as another day passed without any real progress, president obama ventured out to push his claim that the middle class will suffer. ♪ you better watch out you better not cry ♪ >> at the national christmas tree lighting, president obama joined the holiday mood. but earlier, visiting a middle class virginia family, he threatened that congress could ruin the christmas season. if it doesn't act, the administration says, middle class tax bills will increase by $2,000. >> we're in the midst of the christmas season. i think the american people are counting on this getting solved. the closer it gets to the brink, the more stress there is going to be. >> reporter: what may raise the stress level even further is the promise that both the president a